Census in violence-hit Manipur paused till April 2027

The Manipur High Court has put the Census 2027 exercise in the state on hold until April 30, 2027, directing the Centre to examine concerns about conducting it amid ethnic violence and displacement.The court asked the Centre and the Registrar General and Census Commissioner to consider representations from petitioners and pass orders by that date.The Centre had already deferred the census’s house-listing phase in Manipur through a September 5 notification, without specifying a new date. This phase involves recording houses and household details.PETITIONERS QUESTION ACCURACY OF COUNTThe petitioners said damaged and abandoned homes, closed roads and displacement could affect the accuracy of the population count. They also raised concerns about alleged demographic changes linked to the conflict and immigration. They sought a fresh population count, particularly in the hill areas, a delimitation exercise and an update of the National Register of Citizens before the census.The representations also alleged that unauthorised villages had emerged after the violence and that “Bangladeshi immigrants” had entered the state and married local women.CENTRE ALREADY DEFERRED HOUSE-LISTING The Centre deferred house-listing for Census 2027 in Manipur through a September 5 notification, without announcing a fresh date.The notification amended a January 7 order that covered all states and Union territories, excluding Manipur “till further declaration”.The deferment came amid concerns about conducting the exercise in the conflict-hit state and demands to update the National Register of Citizens before the census.ETHNIC VIOLENCE GRIPS MANIPURManipur has been gripped by ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 3, 2023. The clashes began after a Tribal Solidarity March opposing the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.Meiteis live mainly in the Imphal Valley, while Kuki-Zo communities largely inhabit the hill districts. At least 306 people have been killed and 49 remain missing, according to figures shared in the state Assembly in September.Government data released in April showed that more than 58,000 people had been displaced, nearly 7,900 houses destroyed and over 2,600 partially damaged.Many families continue to live in relief camps that were meant to provide temporary shelter.- Ends